Spy scandal diplomat to represent French speaking Switzerland in Paris
A Swiss diplomat, who was sacked as ambassador to Romania because of an affair with an alleged Romanian spy, has been appointed to represent French speaking Switzerland in Paris.
The foreign ministry said the move – which gives Jean-Pierre Vettovaglia the rank of “Ambassador ad Personam” – did not constitute a promotion. It said he would retain the title for the duration of his term, which runs for approximately four years.
Vettovaglia was the Swiss government’s representative in Romania until 1996, when it was discovered that he had been having an affair with an alleged Romanian spy. He was stripped of his title and recalled to Berne.
Vettovaglia will now represent Switzerland at the International Francophone Organisation in Paris.
swissinfo and agencies
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.